meditation in nature

Mindfulness in Nature: Meditation for those who can’t meditate

by with No Comment Eco-social workEcotherapyHealing with natureHealth and wellbeingMental healthMindfulnessNature and Forest TherapyRelaxationSelf CareStressTherapy on the GoWellbeing

I am writing this on the banks of the Macleay River in Kempsey.  I feel a few gentle raindrops hitting the back of my neck.  I smell the manure of the resident ducks wafting in the air.  I hear the sound of the breeze whistling through pine needles.  I see ripples of sunlight and reflection dancing over the water.  I pick up a lonesome goose feather, run it across my cheek, and wince with the tickle.  The cut grass feels prickly on the backs of my legs.  This is mindfulness; what it feels like to be in the present moment, just noticing what is around me and the effect it has on my body. 

I notice that which brings the most pleasure and choose to linger in those sensations a bit longer.  Some would say we have lost the art of how to feel pleasure deeply, that somehow it is indulgent and we should move onto the next thing quickly for instant gratification.   

A sensory experience on the banks of the Macleay River, Kempsey

In my mental health counselling practice, I come across a lot of people who struggle with meditation.  They have been told to do it by well- meaning health professionals to cope with the stresses of daily life, anxiety or depression.  But they often feel they can’t do it or at least sustain it.  Some of us are just not born to sit still with our legs crossed on the floor humming a mantra.  And the simple fact is, you don’t need to.  The same kinds of relaxation and mind stilling effects can be gained by spending time in nature, mindfully and with intention.  Nature helps us to turn our brains off and just be. 

Often what brings people unstuck is the constant invasion of thoughts or feelings that arise during meditation.  The voice of anxiety or depression definitely doesn’t want you to enjoy yourself.  I know I struggled with this for many years, wondering if I was somehow doing it wrong or failing.  I gave up and came back to it later in life when stress was impacting seriously on my health.  Know that it is OK to have invading thoughts and feelings.  Rather than push them away, welcome them.  Then gently bring yourself back to the focus of your attention.

The focus of our attention does not have to be breathing, counting to ten, or repeating a mantra.  It can simply be bringing your awareness to the natural environment using all your senses.  Give yourself permission to enjoy that bird song, watch that butterfly, breathe that ocean air.

Let’s try it now.  (You may like to record the following script on your phone, with gentle pauses or have someone guide you.)

I invite you to find a spot in nature where you can sit, stand or lie down without being interrupted.  Allow yourself to just take in your surroundings and notice what is around you.
If you feel comfortable doing so, close your eyes.  If not, you can lower your eyes to the ground and gently soften your gaze.
Take a moment to tune into your body.  Notice if there is a part of you that is a bit tight or tense.  Without making judgement, just give your body what it needs to feel relaxed.  This could be a stretch, a deep breath, a wriggle or shake.
When you’re ready, bring your attention to the part of your body that is connected to the ground.  Notice how it feels just to be supported by the earth.  Notice the feeling of gravity and what it is like to be pulled gently towards the earth.
You may find that you are distracted by thoughts or feelings.  This is okay.  When you notice them, acknowledge them and let them float gently away again, like a leaf in the wind. 
Now bring your attention to your sense of touch.  Hold your hands out in front of you and notice the sensation of the air on your skin.  You may like to explore the variety of textures on the ground around you.  If there is a particular sensation of touch that feels pleasurable to you, invite it in for a minute.
Turning your attention to your hearing, notice what sounds are around you.  Notice the variety of sounds, what is furtherest away, what is closest to you and what is filling the gap in between.  You may notice the sounds are interacting with each other, like a chorus or symphony.  Exaggerate the sound of your own breathing to see if you can blend it in with this rhythm.  Perhaps there is a sound which is giving you the most pleasure.  Allow it to penetrate your being.
Breathing in through your mouth, see if there is a taste to air.  Notice the texture or quality of the air.  If you’re feeling a bit cheeky, poke out your tongue and turn your head in different directions to see what changes.  Breathing in through your nose, notice what smells are being offered.  Move your head in different directions to notice what changes.  Give yourself permission to linger longer in the smell that is giving you pleasure.
Before opening your eyes, imagine your eyes are like the sun popping over the horizon on a brand new day.  When you are ready, open your eyes slowly, low at first and gently moving skyward.  Notice what comes into your awareness.

Journalist and author, Christine Jackman practises mindfulness in nature on the Coffs Coast.

You may like to reflect on what you are noticing about this kind of mindfulness meditation?  What are you noticing in your body, in your mind, in your mood?  What are you noticing in your surroundings that you have not observed before?

To me, a mindfulness practice in nature feels like ‘coming home’ to my true nature.  It’s a way of being that has been practiced by our ancestors since time immemorial. 

For more ways of being truly present in nature for good health and wellbeing, check out my Nature Therapy e-book.  It’s free when you sign up to my newsletter.

20190322_170749

Sharing Two World Views of Nature’s Healing Powers

by with No Comment Bush therapyCollaborationCross Cultural practiceDecolonising social work practiceEco-social workEcotherapyForest bathingHealing with natureHealth and wellbeingLearning Workshops (aka "Training")Nature and Forest TherapyProjectsSocial and emotional wellbeingTraditional Healing PracticesTwo way learning

I recently had the pleasure of presenting alongside an Indigenous colleague of mine to a group of health professionals.  We are a bit of an unlikely couple.  Leonie Hunter is a salt water and desert First Nation’s woman with a history of removal in her family.  I am a middle-class Australian with a heap of White privilege.  We view the world through different lenses, but what we share is an interest in the healing power of nature for health and wellbeing. 

Texture Gathering on our Nature and Forest Therapy walk.

In our recent workshop, we had the opportunity to talk about our own worldviews and knowledge systems, with each of us having an understanding and appreciation for the other. 

Leonie presented the case for connection to country being a critical component to improving Indigenous wellbeing.  The National Strategic Framework for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples’ Mental Health and Social and Emotional Wellbeing states that

“Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health is viewed in a holistic context, that encompasses mental health and physical, cultural and spiritual health. Land is central to wellbeing.  Crucially, it must be understood that when the harmony of these interrelations is disrupted, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander ill health will persist.”

This is something Leonie knows well through her own embodied connection and the people in her family who are feeling the ongoing health effects of being displaced from their traditional lands and customs.  In our outdoor yarning circle she told many stories; what it is like to just feel the elements, gathering bush medicine to heal physical and emotional ailments, and receiving messages from the animals, birds and other beings.  Leonie was lucky enough to grow up listening to the stories of Senior Kakadu Elder Bill Neidjie, now passed. 

His words still resonate:

“Tree,
He watching you. 
You look at tree, 
He listen to you. 
He got no finger, 
He can’t speak, 
But that leaf,
He pumping, growing. 
Growing in the night, 
While you sleeping, 
You dream something. 
Tree and grass same thing. 
They grow with your body, 
With your feeling. 
If you feel sore, 
Headache, sore body, 
That means somebody killing tree or grass.  
You feel because your body in that tree or earth. 
Nobody can tell you, 
You got to feel it yourself.”

I, on the other hand, presented the evidence for nature connection for health and wellbeing from a Western scientific worldview.  There is a mountain of research supporting the benefits of green space and being in nature for physical, social, emotional and spiritual health.  My particular focus and interest is on the practice of Shinrin Yoku (or forest bathing).  The Japanese have discovered that phytonicides or the ‘aroma of the forest’ has positive physiological and psychological effects to reduce stress.  They found that a slow, relaxed forest therapy walk, lowered blood pressure, reduced cortisol levels (the stress hormone) and improved heart rate variablilty.   Phytonicides were shown to boost the level of Natural Killer cells in our body, which boost our immune system and fight disease including cancer.  Doctors now offer ‘green prescriptions’ for their patients to go walking on a Certified Forest Therapy trail. 

Science is only really just proving what Indigenous people have intuitively known since time began.  The reciprocal relationship with nature is in their DNA.  In my worldview, they call this the biophilia hypothesis.  We evolved from nature, so we are nature.

In our afternoon session at Holmes Jungle Nature Park, I had the pleasure of co-guiding a Nature and Forest Therapy walk with Leonie.   Nature and Forest Therapy (NFT) is inspired by the practice of Shinrin Yoku and developed in California by the ANFT.  Despite its Western roots, NFT allows those living in the fast-paced world of modern society an embodied experience of the healing power of ‘being’ on country. 

With the words of Bill Neidjie ringing in their ears, Leonie invited our participants to find a tree that is watching them and sit with the tree for a while to share stories.  As is so often the case, the trees always reach out to the right person.  There were two fallen trees for the person who had recently experienced a separation, a tree with two large branches growing upward showing the two possible directions in life for another, and a tree that was begging to be leant against with a message to slow down.  When given the opportunity to just ‘be’ without ‘doing’, to contemplate with our hearts not our minds, the medicine of the forest reveals itself.  Miriam Rose-Ungunmerr’s talks about this presence of sitting on country as the practice of ‘dadirri’.

I feel blessed and privileged to be working alongside people like Leonie, sharing and learning from each other, having healing conversations, developing new levels of understanding and respect.  Ecopsychology allows both worldviews to exist alongside each other at the same time, for all of it is truth.

This is my idea of Reconciliation in action.

‘Nature, Health & Wellbeing’ learning workshop, Darwin March 2019.
Anna McCracken

‘Roaming Around Australia and Listening Deeply’ with Anna McCracken

by with No Comment AdvocacyCollaborationCommunity WorkCross Cultural practiceCulturally Fit Social WorkersDisabilityHuman RightsPodcastRemote social workSocial Work with Indigenous communitiesTalk the Walk podcastWhite privilege

How do you combine a love of travel with social work and human rights advocacy?   Just ask Anna McCracken.  Anna has been roaming around remote Australia in her 4 wheel drive since 2013, listening to the stories of First Nations Australians and shaping the roll-out of the NDIS.

With an undergraduate degree in Social Work and a Masters in Human Rights Law, Anna’s nomadic lifestyle allows her to travel the country working in partnership with communities and as a link to business and Government around resourcing community led solutions to social challenges.   Anna’s current passion project is exploring the role immersive technology can play in storytelling and language preservation in remote communities.

As a facilitator of conversation and an excavator of the ‘real story’, this interview with Anna lives up to expectations.  We get to know the person behind the passion, and what it takes to roll up the swag and hit the road with no agenda but to do what social workers do best – listen deeply.

In episode 29 of ‘Talk the Walk’, we explore:

  • Anna’s first observations as a social work graduate about social policy and its impact in regional and remote Australia
  • What motivated Anna to undertake undertake further study in Human Rights Law and the learnings both professional and personal which led to becoming an Advocate for disability rights
  • the unique skills social workers offer as a conduit between clients and service providers to give them a voice
  • Reflections on Aboriginal people’s experience of the NDIS and its influence in shaping the scheme
  • Why Western Australian communities have embraced immersive technologies
  • The potential for virtual reality to be used with children who have development, social and behavioural challenges
  • Pondering the ethical implications of VR
  • the value of having difficult conversations about White Privilege
  • Anna’s motivations and influences inspired by a great Aboriginal activist and a grandfather who had all the time in the world
  • The questions around who she is as a social worker practitioner that keeps Anna awake at night

To listen, simply click on the Play button below or listen via the Stitcher App for iOS, Android, Nook and iPad.
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Don’t forget, if you or someone you know would make a great interview on ‘Talk the Walk’, send us an email from the Contact Page.

Things to follow up after the episode:

Lila Watson

Follow Anna McCracken on Instagram

Connect with Anna McCracken on LinkedIn

Phoria

Cambodian Children’s Trust

Anna McCracken’s favourite podcast to listen to while roaming around is On Being with Krista Trippett.   Anna’s favourite episodes are interviews with David Whyte, America Ferrera and John Paul Lederach.

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tree hug

Kids and Nature: Nurturing strong and healthy minds!

by with No Comment Eco-social workEcotherapyForest bathingHealing Our ChildrenHealing with natureHealth and wellbeingMental healthNature and Forest TherapyParentingRelaxationShinrin YokuTherapy on the GoWorking with Children

Many of you will be familiar with my passion for keeping children safe in their first three years of life through the Healing Our Children project, to improve their chances of growing into strong and healthy adults!  It is one thing to protect babies from violence to prevent trauma to the brain, but it is quite another to add in nurturing and nourishing activities to promote brain growth!

Author of ‘Your Brain on Nature”, Dr Alan Logan says “Your connection to nature established early in life to your experiences can actually influence your life course’s wellbeing”.  He argues that young children who are disconnected from nature experience a variety of health impacts from poor gut health and low immunity to compromised mental health.

Louv and Charles have been looking at a growing body of evidence across the world that suggests children are now spending much less time in nature-based outdoor activity and this is having a detrimental effect on their development.  Louv has gone so far as to use the term ‘nature deficit disorder’ to describe this problem.

While some research findings have limitations, here are some of the trends worth noting.

  • Between the decades, 1980’s to 2000’s, children’s lives have become increasingly structured and media oriented, leaving less time for independent play of any kind, including unstructured play in nature. Free play is going down, screen time is going up.
  • Visits to parks, national forests and other public land is in decline and are a possible indicator of the frequency of children’s exposure to the natural world.
  • There are fewer opportunities for children to engage in the natural world, with parents containing their children to more restrictive spaces, the move towards play indoors with supervision rather than unsupervised in parks, playgrounds or streets, a dramatic decline in children’s independent mobility, parents exerting greater control over children’s play and limitations put on children’s adventurous play.
  • Nature may encourage and support children’s physical activity and help them maintain a healthy weight. The number of obese children is rising, moving into their teens they are much less physically active. Some studies have linked children’s health to green spaces in the neighbourhood.
  • Children have less knowledge about plants, animals and their environment today than their parents. One possibility is that biodiversity has decreased where children live; or children have little or no meaningful direct experience with local biodiversity.

Evidence of decreased mobility, reduced availability to natural areas, and restrictions placed by parents on children’s activities in natural areas, suggests fewer opportunities to engage in the natural world.

So what does the research say about the benefits of contact with nature for children and young people?

There are a number of studies that demonstrate children’s play outdoors reduces the impact of stressful life events and has long-term benefits for physical, social, emotional and cognitive development.  Children who experienced high levels of contact with nature report higher global self-worth and higher cognitive function increasing their ability to learn and concentrate, decreasing anxiety and increasing self-esteem.

In Australia, adolescents have talked about their desire for safe places to break away from everyday life, to restore energy levels and to make meaning from the ups and downs of life.  Between 25 and 31% of young people in Years 9 to 12 said that nature was their favourite place to find peace, quiet and freedom, feel calm, where they can think about things or where they can be themselves.  The study found nature plays an important role in maintaining stable mental health for adolescents, who live in a modern world where societal changes and pressures are rising at a rapid rate.

Primary school children’s access to nature in Melbourne primary schools has shown a number of social and mental health benefits including building resilience, improved attitudes towards school and relationships with peers and adults, greater calmness and less disruptive behaviour, growing sense of freedom and creativity, and enhanced self-confidence.

We know how good it is.  So how can we get our kids off their devices and plugging into nature?  Here are three nature connection invitations, I recently tried with some children aged 10-14 on a Guided Nature and Forest Therapy walk.  They absolutely loved them!

  1. Wish Upon a Rock

Find a rocky creek or waterway.  Invite the children to create a cairn.  For each rock they are able to stack and balance, they can make a wish, a hope or dream.  How many wishes can they balance?  Give the child time to reflect on their experience.

  1. Befriend a Tree.

Invite your child to find a tree they connect with.   Invite them to get up close and use their sense of touch to explore.  “What do you notice when you hold a leaf or two?  What do you hear when you move the leaves or run a stick against the bark?  What part of the tree has a smell?  Do you see different things when you get up close or sit further away?”  After a while, invite them to sit by themselves next to the tree and just spend some quiet time there.  “Perhaps a name for your tree might come to you.  I wonder what stories this tree might tell you while sitting there in quiet still awareness?”

  1. Paint a Rock

Using paint pens and a flat rock, write a message for the forest or for other beings in the forest to discover.  Hide your rocks in the forest.  Take a photo of them and post its location on the #NSWRocks Facebook or Instagram community page (or search your state for your local rock group).  You can join in the hunt for other kids rocks too.

Of course, it is much easier for children to feel comfortable in nature, if they have been exposed at an early age.  Taking your baby for a daily walk outside is giving them a great start to life.  You will be laying down the foundations of a strong and healthy brain.  Oh, and bringing down some of your own stress levels too, no doubt.  Here’s to happy child’s play in nature!

References:

ABC News (2016) ‘Gut health, mental wellbeing and immunity linked to outdoor play’

Charles C and Louv, R. (2009) Children’s Nature Deficit: What We Know – and Don’t Know.

Selhub E and Logan A. (2012) Your Brain on Nature

Townsend M and Weerasuriya R. (2010). Beyond Blue to Green: The benefits of contact with nature for mental health and well-being. Beyond Blue Limited: Melbourne, Australia.

nature therapy; don't be afraid

3 Reasons Why Nature Therapy shouldn’t scare you!

by with No Comment EcotherapyForest bathingHealing with natureHealth and wellbeingNature and Forest TherapyRelaxationSelf CareShinrin YokuSpiritual practicesWellbeing

There has been a long running discussion amongst Nature and Forest Therapy Guides in Australia about what to call our practice.  We have been trained in nature and forest therapy, yet many are preferring to use words like nature connection, forest bathing or shinrin yoku, because they think that people are put off by the word ‘therapy’.  Perhaps it conjures up images of sitting on a couch, while someone delves into your psyche.  Therapy is something you do when you have a mountain of problems you can’t solve on your own, right?

Instead of running away from using the word ‘therapy’ to describe our practice, I believe we have an opportunity to change perceptions and challenge stereotypes.  I argue that nature therapy is for everybody, whatever stage of life, however well functioning (or not) they may appear.

1.  There are lots of therapies that aren’t scary

Therapy is nothing to be afraid of.  If that were so, then we would also run the other direction if offered massage therapy, aromatherapy, yoga therapy and beauty therapy.  But no.  We can’t seem to get enough of these.  You can safely add nature therapy to your list of nourishing and empowering practices for your body, mind and spirit.

2.  We are not going to ‘do’ anything to you.

Nature and Forest Therapy Guides are not going to ‘do’ any therapy on you.  In fact, it is a practice which requires less ‘doing’ and more ‘being’.  If anyone is going to ‘do’ anything to you, it is the forest.  The Guide just opens the door for whatever medicine the forest has for you to discover for yourself.  The potential is there for nature to change the way you think or feel about things, if you are open to slowing down and listening.  To help you on your reflective journey, you will have the opportunity to share what you are noticing in nature, with the other participants on a Guided walk.  You can even enjoy nature therapy on your own, at your preferred pace, in your own backyard.  We believe you are the expert in your own life.  Nature is a powerful friend in discovering your true nature.  We don’t need to ‘do’ anything to you.

3.  Nature Therapy is for everyone

Therapy is an activity that is designed to have ‘therapeutic’ benefits.  ‘Therapeutic’ is defined as “having a good effect on the body or mind; contributing to a sense of well-being.”  Nature therapy is an experience that brings a huge range of scientifically proven benefits to your health and wellbeing.  That’s good for everyone, not just for people who are unwell.  I’m a big believer in disease prevention and in that vain, nature therapy should be part of everyone’s daily lifestyle, along with sensible eating and exercise.

 

Let’s normalise therapy, so everyone wants to do it.  Tell your friends ‘you’re getting your daily dose of nature therapy’.  It’s the most natural thing in the world you can do.  I mean ‘be’.

Lucy is a Certified Guide with the Association of Nature and Forest Therapy.  She offers Guided Nature Therapy Walks in the Nambucca Valley and Coffs Harbour region.

Australian indigenous social work

‘Decolonising Our Selves and Our Work’ with Dr. Antonia Hendrick

by with No Comment AcademiaColonisationCommunity WorkCross Cultural practiceCulturally Fit Social WorkersDecolonising social work practicePodcastReflective social work practiceResearchSocial work curriculumSocial Work with Indigenous communitiesWhite privilege

Whatever context you work in, this conversation will get you thinking about how you really engage with Aboriginal and Torres Strait islander people in your community.

Dr Antonia Hendrick is a full time Lecturer in the School of Occupational Therapy, Social Work and Speech Pathology at Curtin University.  She is not your average academic.  Behind the qualifications, the accolades and the numerous published articles, lies an authentic human being, who is prepared to share her vulnerabilities in front of her students.  Antonia’s current passion is ‘Reaching Across the Divide: Aboriginal Elders and Academics Working Together’, a project that is changing the way the social work curriculum is developed and implemented across the school.  For Antonia, it is a professional as well as very personal journey, working with Aboriginal Elders to develop staff and student cultural responsiveness.

There are lessons for us all about de-colonising our selves and our work, as Antonia takes us on a reflective journey into her White Privilege.

In episode 28 of Talk the Walk, we explore:

  • the precursors to Curtin University taking real action to decolonise the social work curriculum in 2014 using the ‘Getting It Right’ teaching and learning framework
  • The two key imperatives for working together with Elders as a political action of social work
  • What is meant by ‘becoming an Ally?’ in decolonising social work practice
  • The outcomes that are starting to emerge for social work students and staff engaging in yarning processes at the university
  • The impact of the project on Antonia’s relational self
  • The challenges of being an academic in the work of institutional decolonisation and the personal impact on Antonia as a practitioner and human being
  • A personal family story of white privilege and it’s impact on Antonia’s values and belief system
  • The inspiring others behind Antonia’s passion for this work
  • The movement of decolonisation that is occurring across social work and other professions in Australia
  • What the future holds for Curtain University in their partnership with the Elders Group
  • The outcomes for students’ social work practice frameworks after completing a decolonised version of the social work curriculum
  • A final reflection for all social workers on the transferable skills across population groups in ‘becoming an ally’

To listen, simply click on the Play button below or listen via the Stitcher App for iOS, Android, Nook and iPad.
Listen to Stitcher
You can subscribe to future podcast episodes from our Subscription page.

Don’t forget, if you or someone you know would make a great interview on ‘Talk the Walk’, send us an email from the Contact Page.

Things to follow up after the episode

‘Looking Forward Aboriginal Mental Health Project’, Final Report (2011-2015)

Published works by Associate Profession Michael Wright

Hendrick, A. (2015). ‘Working with Nyoongar Elders to decolonise the social work curriculum’, New Community Quarterly.

Hendrick, A. & Young, S. (2017).  ‘Decolonising the Curriculum, Decolonising Ourselves: Experiences of Teaching in and from the ‘Third Space’

Hendrick, A., & Young, S. (2018). Teaching about Decoloniality: The Experience of Non-Indigenous Social Work Educators. American Journal of Community Psychology, 62(3-4), 306-318.

Bishop, A. (2002). Becoming an ally: Breaking the cycle of oppression (2nd ed.).  Crows Nest, NSW: Allen & Unwin.

Land, C. (2015). Decolonizing solidarity. Dilemmas and directions for supporters of Indigenous struggles. London, UK: Zed Books.

Singleton, G., & Hays, C. (2008). Beginning courageous conversations about race. In M. Pollack (Ed.), Everyday antiracism: Getting real about race in school (pp. 18–23). New York, NYW. W. Norton & Co.

Contact Dr Antonia Hendrick at Curtin University

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Nature and the Imagination: Partners in Relaxation and Mindfulness

by with No Comment EcotherapyFeelings and EmotionsHealing with natureHealth and wellbeingMindfulnessNature and Forest TherapyRelaxationSelf CareSocial and emotional wellbeingSpiritual practicesStressWellbeing

I am wondering about the power of nature imagery as a tool for relaxation.  Not everyone has access to beautiful landscapes or nature at their back door.  Access to the outdoors may be limited by mobility or circumstances.  Some of us live in cities where green space is lacking.  Recent studies show that prisoners watching nature documentaries are less aggressive and violent, so we know that one doesn’t need to actually be outside to receive the healing benefits of nature.

I am thinking about a refugee whom I support on Nauru in indefinite detention, who is unable to get outside due to chronic pain and continuing trauma.  He recalls fond memories of being a lifeguard on a beach before the detention centre was closed and all services were withdrawn from the island.  I have been trying to work with him to visualise that special beach in his mind.  This is challenging given the circumstances he finds himself, in chronic pain and confined to his room.

I think there is real value in present moment situations of chronic stress, depression or anxiety, to call upon nature as our friend to induce a state of relaxation.   To bring a sense of calm to the amygdala, activated by the sympathetic nervous system.  To reduce the negative effects of rumination on mood and wellbeing.  To open up a space to breathe while the unpleasant feelings pass.

We know that the brain cannot tell the difference between sitting in real nature or imagining a landscape in our mind.  The same physiological and psychological benefits of stress reduction are experienced in both of these situations.  So just by thinking about your favourite safe place in nature is enough to produce the required relaxation response.

Here are some simple instructions for a Tree Visualisation meditation, I gave recently at a Nature Therapy talk I did with cancer patients.  Another option is to have a basket of nature objects such as shells, stones, pine cones, leaves, feathers, gum nuts and other interesting objects.  Just holding one of these treasures in your hands with eyes closed, eliciting all the senses to engage with it, can bring forth a range of mindful responses.  Both of these activities elicit strong memories for people, of places they have been before, of experiences they have had and of traditions or rituals held precious.  I watch their faces as anxiety or fear is replaced by instant comfort and joy.

As quickly as the stress response is triggered, the brain has the power to bring a state of relaxation and calm to us.  Nature and the imagination are perfect partners to try this out for yourself!

Alanna Audus

“Coming From a Place of Not Knowing” with Alanna Audus

by with No Comment BurnoutChallenges and strugglesColonisationCulturally Fit Social WorkersCulturally sensitive therapeutic toolsDecolonising social work practiceEthics and valuesHealing from TraumaMetaphorsNarrative therapyNarrative work with Aboriginal communitiesNT Emergency InterventionPodcastRemote social workSelf CareSocial Work with Indigenous communitiesSocial Work with passionStarting out in Indigenous social workWorking with Metaphors

There is something to be said about social workers who are graciously willing to tell their story, just 12 months after diving into their remote social work experience.  Still in the midst of a giant learning curve, Alanna Audus joins me on Talk the Walk to share the ups, downs and delicious highlights of her beginnings in Alice Springs.  Alanna is a newcomer to narrative therapy and is delighted with the way her somewhat ‘kooky’ conversations with people are beginning to shape their lives for the better.  She works as a generalist and victims of crime counsellor for CatholicCare NT with some of the most marginalised Aboriginal people in Australia.

This conversation is as delightful as it is authentic.  So be warned, Alanna’s heartfelt generosity may inspire you to pack up your city life and go bush.

On episode 27, we explore:

  • What led Alanna to pack up all her belongings and head to Alice Springs
  • What it’s really like starting out in social work with no prior experience working with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples
  • Alanna’s unique story which has influenced her passion and drive for social justice
  • A ‘fly on the wall’ account of Alanna’s approach to counselling, starting out in narrative therapy
  • Why relationships are at the heart of Alanna’s practice and feeling okay about not knowing
  • The rich conversations that transpire working with metaphors
  • Methods of narrative documentation such as letter writing which record people’s processes of acknowledgement and achievement, and what difference this makes to clients
  • Struggles and challenges Alanna has faced in her first year in a remote community and the notion of ‘doing therapy on yourself everyday’
  • The influence of nature and the raw environment on Alanna’s self care, allowing her to do high intensity social work
  • Reflections on resilience in ourselves and our clients
  • The people, institutions and the influence of radical politics that have shaped Alanna’s social work practice framework and life
  • Reflections on the NT Emergency Intervention more than a decade on, a continuation of ongoing oppression and disempowerment which began with colonisation
  • Words of wisdom for other social workers considering the move from big city to remote outback and avoiding burnout
  • A sparkling moment from Alanna’s last week

To listen, simply click on the Play button below or listen via the Stitcher App for iOS, Android, Nook and iPad.
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Don’t forget, if you or someone you know would make a great interview on ‘Talk the Walk’, send us an email from the Contact Page.

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Contact Alanna on alanna.audus(at)gmail(dot)com

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‘A Cultural Model of Therapeutic Social Work’ with Jannice Luland

by with No Comment Aboriginal world viewsCounsellingCultural KnowledgeDecolonising social work practiceDomestic and family violenceHealing from TraumaIndigenous Voices Speaking UpNarrative therapyNarrative work with Aboriginal communitiesPodcastSexual assaultSocial JusticeSocial Work Practice FrameworkSocial Work with Indigenous communitiesSpiritual practicesSupervisionTalk the Walk podcastTraditional Healing PracticesWorking with Women

“A special moment”. Jannice with the clapsticks at the Singing for Healing program.

Jannice Luland is our guest on episode 26 of Talk the Walk.  Jannice is a proud Aboriginal woman and direct descendant of the Wodiwodi and Walbunja peoples of the far South coast of NSW.   After a career spanning over 30 years in child protection, out of home care, justice health, mental health, domestic and family violence and sexual assault, Jannice finally graduated with her Masters of Social Work in 2015.

Aunty Jeno, as she is known in her community of Nowra in NSW, is passionate about supporting women and young people in the field of domestic violence and sexualised violence, and has a special interest in the impact of intergenerational trauma on the Stolen Generations.

As well as being employed as a Healing Counsellor at Waminda, Jannice currently serves on the Aboriginal Elders committee and cultural committee.  She is a huge advocate of social work practice frameworks which incorporate cultural healing practices.  In our conversation we dive deep into what this looks like and what it means for Jannice to be able to incorporate her culture into a strong values and evidence-based model of therapeutic care.

In this episode, we explore:

  • A brief overview of the services at Waminda, an Aboriginal owned and run health and well-being service
  • How Waminda applied Aboriginal healing principles to address issues of low engagement with Aboriginal women accessing sexual assault and domestic violence services
  • How Jannnice arrived at social work after landing her first job as an uneducated single mum
  • How and why Jannice keeps culture central in her social work practice framework
  • Reflections on studying the social work degree and the lack of theoretical frameworks that intersect Indigenous cultures
  • Exploring the benefits, responsibilities and achievements as a member of the Elders group and cultural committee within the organisation
  • The theory and cultural knowledge behind the Singing for Healing program
  • Jannice’s desire to connect with other Aboriginal social workers across Australia to explore cultural therapeutic approaches
  • The importance of accessing cultural social work supervision
  • The values Jannice says are important in overcoming challenges within the work
  • Critical aspects of a healing counselling service that contribute to Closing The Gap
  • Role models and special people that have influenced Jannice’s life and career in social work and a sense of gratitude
  • Inspiring Aboriginal women to take up social work
  • That sparkling moment with the clapsticks

The sound is less than ideal at the beginning of this interview, but does improve, so please stick with it.
To listen, simply click on the Play button below or listen via the Stitcher App for iOS, Android, Nook and iPad.
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Things to follow up after the episode

Trauma Trails by Judy Atkinson

Waminda website

Follow Waminda on Facebook

Contact Jannice Luland on jannicel(at)waminda(dot)org(dot)au

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forest bathing

3 Reasons Why You Should Go Forest Bathing

by with No Comment Bush therapyEco-social workEcotherapyForest bathingHealing the planetHealing with natureHealth and wellbeingMindfulnessMother EarthNature and Forest TherapySelf CareShinrin YokuSocial and emotional wellbeingSpiritual practicesStressTherapy on the GoWellbeing

First of all, you might be wondering what exactly is forest bathing?

Forest bathing is a nature connection practice inspired by the Japanese where it is called Shinrin Yoku.

It’s not about getting wet.

The idea is to fully immerse yourself in nature and to bathe all your senses (more than 12 of them!).

Put simply, it is about taking a slow mindful walk in nature, breathing in the forest air, sitting and observing, and developing an emotional connection to the forest.  It is different from hiking, where the pace is faster and you miss a lot of what is going on around you.  It is also different from a naturist walk, where you might be identifying and naming species of fauna or flora.

A Forest Bathing walk covers less than a kilometre usually over two or three hours.  Its aim is to help you slow down and take a break from the stresses of daily life, and to appreciate things that can only be noticed when moving slowly.    Some people describe it like doing meditation or mindfulness in nature.

So now that we know what it is.  Why on earth would we want to do it?

1.  Forest Bathing is Part of Our True Nature

Humans evolved out of forests.   Our species spent millions years of in development within these ecosystems.  Then our world experienced rapid industrialisation and we moved into cities.  While genetically our bodies are optimized for the forest, we are now trying to survive in the busy, stressful conditions of modern civilization.

Our separation has caused what Richard Louv terms, ‘nature deficit disorder’.  He argues that our children are spending so much less time outdoors than previous generations, it is having a detrimental impact on their development.

Rather than seeing ourselves as separate from nature, we must remember, we are nature.

2.  Forest Bathing Promotes our Health and Wellbeing

In the Western world, rates of mental health problems are out of control.  Over 50% of people are stressed at work.  In Australia, 1 in 5 of us will go on to experience a mental illness.  Many physical illnesses and disease can also be linked to stress as an underlying cause.

The Japanese have been studying the effects of forest bathing since the 1980’s.  What they discovered was an antimicrobial organic compound called phytonicides that are given off by evergreen trees such as pines and eucalypts.  When you breathe in phytonicides, your blood pressure drops, your cortisol level (or stress hormone) reduces and heart rate variablilty improves.  Phytoncides are immune boosters which increase the natural killer cells in our body, associated with fighting cancer.

Other research has shown that being in nature:

3.  Forest Bathing Addresses Climate Change

I know, it’s a big call.  But I firmly believe that if we are more closely connected to Mother Nature, we are more likely to want to care for and protect it.  Ours is a reciprocal relationship.  When the earth is sick, so are we (see point 2).  We need healing and so does our earth.

Humans have become so separate from nature that there has been little regard to how we treat the earth.  It has been seen as a collection of resources to be exploited for our benefit.  On a guided forest bathing walk, there is particular attention paid to the practice of reciprocity.  In supporting the development of human-nature relationships, we foster the role of humans as givers, as well as receivers.

People who engage regularly in forest bathing practices, tend to spontaneously find themselves engaging in place tending on a personal level or want to get involved in environmental activism at a macro level.

So rebuilding our intimate connection to the forest again, will ultimately lead to the healing of the planet and of course, our own health too.

If one or more of these reasons has inspired you to try forest bathing, then feel free to join the Japanese where is it called “Shinrin-yoku” (森林浴), the Germans practising “Waldtherapie”, the Koreans engaging in “Sanlimyok (산림욕)” and of course, the Australians, Americans and Europeans, where we use the terms “nature and forest therapy”.

If you are in the Nambucca Valley or Coffs Coast region, you can join me on your very own private Nature therapy walk.  Or you can find other Certified guides in Australia here and elsewhere in the world here.

Happy Forest Bathing!